Automatic transmitter key for distress signals



p 1934. L. E. CHAUVEYAU 1,972,289

AUTOMATIC TRANSMITTER KEY FOR DISTRESS SIGNALS Filed May 20, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR LOU/.5 L. f. CHAUVfAU BY/ -M ATTORNEY Sept. 4,1934. 1.. 1.. E. CHAUVEAU AUTOMATIC TRANSMITTER KEY FOR DISTRESS SIGNALSFiled May 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LOU/5 L6. OWN/V54 AUl/C/L/ATTORNEY slightly to the left of the Patented Sept. 4", 1934 PATENTOFFICE AUTOMATIC TRANSMITTER KEY FOB DISTRESS SIGNALS 1 Louis LucienEugene Chauveau, Paris, France Application May 20, 1929, Serial No.364,617

- France May 19, 1928 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements upon apparatus disclosedin British Patent No. 803,839, and objects of these improvements are (l)to insure stopping the automatic signal- 5 ling apparatus in a definiteposition corresponding to the end of the signal, and (2) to allow of andcause the transmission automatically by said apparatus of another signalas contemplated at the present time by international radio committees.

In what follows, a description is given of one of. the improvements heredisclosed by way of example and by reference to the accompanyingdrawings Figure 1 of which gives a schematic illustration of anautomatic signalling system of the type disclosed in said above referredto patent including improvements the present invention; while, 1

Figure 2 illustrates a modification 0! the arrangement 0! Figure 1.

Signalling apparatus or the type involved here includes, see Figure 1, alocation plate LP, a

code drum CD, an identification disk IND, an

S. O. 8. disk S03. and a distributor BA.

: The location plate, which serves to transmit the position of thedevice which is sending the signal, comprises a series or conductorsNo-Nn'corresponding respectively to the digits 0-9. Placed at rightangles to these conducgo tors are 9 conductive guide bars Rl-RB, each ofwhich carries a contact K adapted to contact also with the conductors;the guide bar R1 corresponds to the hundreds, R2 to the tens" and R3 tothe units" of the longitude degrees v respectively, and R4 to the tensand R5 to the "units" of the longitude minutes respectively. Rr-Racorrespond respectively to the "tens and units of degrees and minutes oflatitude. The location plate is shown in plan in Figure 1 and, plan insaid figure in end elevation also.

Theloeation plate is-associated with a switch 81 adapted to contact witheither of two contacts North and South and a switch S2 to con- 5 tactwith either of two contacts East and West.

To indicate the position the different contacts K must be moved alongtheir guide bars so as to contact with the conductors'appropriate to themembers corresponding to the position of the 5 ship and the switches 51and 3: must be made to contact with the appropriate contacts. Theposition set up on the location plate as shown in Figure 1 is 036 42'West 59 25' North.

The code drum CD comprises an insulated s5 drum T mounted on a shaft 8driven by a small are 14 brushes, 09 and N. S. E. and W., ar-

' seen that each of the brushes one rotation of the drum, the conductorsso as'to reproduce in Morse code motor M through gearing D. This gearingis such that the drum makes one revolution in four seconds whichcorresponds to a slightly less duration than the manually operated 8. O.S. signal.

Around the'periphery oi the drum '1 are arranged two metallic membersP1, P2 shaped as shown and electrically connected to the shaft A.

In contact with one generatrix'oi the drum 66 ranged with respect to themembers P1 and P2.

The brushes are fixed and the drum being rotatable in the direction ofthe arrow F, it will be o 9 will, during contact with parts of 7a thecorresponding digit, for example, the brush '4 makes contact equivalentto 4 dots and a dash, brush 7 two dashes and three dots, etc. Similarlythe brush S which corresponds to South will 15 contact for periodsequivalent to 3 dots, the brush W corresponding to West making contactequivalent to a dot and 2 dashes.

The identification disk IND comprises a metallic disk having portionscorresponding to the name of the ship in Morse code. The space betweenthese portions is -filled with insulating material and the disk ismounted on a shaft at one end of the drum CD. A brush I makes contactwith the circumference of the disk. The identification disk is separatefrom the drum '1 to facilitate construction, the disk, of course,varying "for difierent ships. The S. O. S. disk is formed similar to theindicating disk but is provided with portions corresponding to the S. O.S. signal; a brush SO contacts with this disk which is so mounted at theend of the shaft as to be easily detachable, so as to allow it to bereplaced by code message disks, corresponding to a predetermined signal.

The distributor comprises a brush BA fast with a ratchet wheel R. Themain shaft Bearries a cam CA. I

At each revolution of the drum T the cam CA advances the ratchet wheel Rone tooth through a connecting rod B1 and pawl CL. A counter pawl CCLholds the ratchet wheel in its positions. This arrangement is such thatafter each revolution of the drum the ratchet wheel R and brush BAadvance one step. The brush BA is displaced across a series of 17contacts or a commutator with 17 segments Ll-Ll'l. The first threecontacts or segments are connected to the brush S0 of the S. 0. 8. disk,the next five are connected to the bars R1Rs respectively, the no areinsulated. 1

contact L9 is connected to the switch 82, contacts Lit-L13 are connectedto the bars Eta-Re respectively, contact L14 to switch S1, and contactsL15 and Lm to the brush I of the identification disk. The purpose of L11will appear hereinafter.

The use of such a distributor has the advantage that the brush BA isstationary during the transmission of signals; contact thereof istherefore assured. The displacement of a brush of one contact overanother takes place only at the end of each revolution at a moment whenno signal is sent for the developed height of the metallic member P1 isless than the developed periphery of the drum T and'the cam CA is set atan angle such that the displacement of the brush BA takes place at theend of the revolution when all the brushes of the drum and disks Theoperation of the apparatus is as follows:

Imagine the apparatus including the board BB, the disk BA, drum CD,etc., to be set as shown and that contact L11 is out. The motor M isconnected to the source of energy connected with terminals C1, C2 anddrives the shaft S in the directionof the arrow.

nected, as shown, by way of M1 to the negative lead C2 of the sourcewhile theshait S is connected by way of M2 and MN to the positiveterminal of the source. The cam CA actuates the connecting rod B1, theratchet wheel R ad-. vances one step, and the brush BA contacts with thecontact Ll. In these conditions the brush S0 of the S. O. S. disk isconnected to the contact while the disk itself is connected to theterminal M2 through the shaft A. The S. O. 8. signal is thereforetransmitted once from a radio transmitter, not shown, during the firstrevolution of the drum CD. 'At the end of this revolution the cam CAagain operates the connecting rod B1, brush BA passes to contact La andagain connects the brush SO, and the S. O. 3. signal is transmitted atsecond time during the second revolution. At the end of this revolutionthe brush BA passes to contact In and the S. O. 8. signal is transmitteda third time.

At the end of the third revolution, the h BA passes to contact L; whichis connected to the bar R1 whose contact is in contact with brush 0 ofthe drum T through-the conductor No.

Thus, during the fourth revolution, the digit 0 is transmitted viaterminals Mz'and MTN. At the end of the fourth revolution, the brushpasses to L5 which is connected to R2 whose contact is in contact withN3 connected to brush 3. Thus during the fifth revolution, the digit 3is transmitted via the terminals M2 and MN to the radio transmitter.

. Thus the transmission continues, the brush ad= 'vancing one contact atthe end of each revolu= tion, the bars R1 and R9 and switches S1 and aare successively put into contact with the terminal M2 by thedistributor and appropriate conductors and drum T. The position signalis thus transmitted.

At the end of the fourteenth revolution, the brush BA passes to thecontact L15, the brush 1' is connected to the terminal M1, the disk INDbeing connected to the shaft S and terminal M2. The name will thus betransmitted during the fifteenth revolution, the same operationoccurring during the sixteenth revolution.

It will thus be seen that a complete rotation (except for one step) ofthe brush BA corresponds to 16 revolutions of the drum T and correctlyThe brush BA is con-' aeraase transmits the distress signal via theterminal M2.

In order to insure that the motor M, code drum CD, etc., stop at thedesired position, that is, when a complete set of calls have been sentout by a complete rotation of the brush A of the distributor, theenergizing cirhit for the call device may be connected as shown inFigure 1 and may include the control devices and improvements now to bedescribed.

In the device 01 the patent a source of energy has one terminalconnected to the motor directly and the other terminal adapted to beconnected thereto by way of one pole of a double pole switch, the otherpole of which connects the brush BA to one side of the radio transmitterapparatus, the other side of the radio transmitter apparatus beingconnected to a brush on the code drum shaft.

In the present application the two-pole circuit-breaker disclosed in thepatent is replaced by acingle-pole reversing switch I and as theterminals C1 and C2 are connected with the poles of the source, as shownin Figure 1, the brush EA will be directly united with theterminal M1,the latter being associated with the negative pole of a coon source notshown, and terminal M2 with the manipulating key relay MN causingtransmission from the radio equipment.

' described hereinbeiore.

When the apparatus is used merely for the transon of distress signalsincluding the name of the vessel and the position thereof, as describedhereinbei'ore, that is, exclusive or the new =1 ill-1 hereinafter to bementioned, terminal G is tly united with the negative pole of thesource, and tels A and FN are united between each other as shown in Fig.1.

e operation of the assembly is then as fol"- lows. Shifting thereversing switch I to the right into the g or operative position oncontact MA. coil 1 of relay GA is energized through the circuit from thepositive terminal of the source to Cl-MA--1-G tothe negative teal of thesource. The relay GA being thus excited causes the closing of itscontacts. The relay GA is blocked (guarded) by its contact G2 whichcompletes the circuit through i from the positive tel of the source toC1 toterminal 8 of G1, G2 winding 1, G to the negative terminal oi thesource, while the motor M is fed by way of contact 4 of G1 through thecircuit 01, 4, M, (32, with the result that the motor is started up andthe apparatus is rendered operative to key a radio transmitter, asdescribed hereinbefora The motor will continue to run as long as thereverser switch 1' remains in position on MA, and if, at some instant oranother, the said switch is placed in the stop position on contact AR,

Ll,7, winding 2 will be energized by the source through a circuitincluding 2, A, FN, Ln, M1, the source Cl, G1, 3, AR and 2, and sinceboth windings l and 2 are then simultaneously energized, thoughin-opposition, the apparatus will come to a stop because the armatures 3and 4 open breaking the motor circuit and the circuit to the windings 1and 2. It will be noted that this device makes it possible to cause thestopping of the apparatus in a definite position, i. e., a positioncorresponding to the instant when brush or wiper BA slides over thecontact stud L17.

International radio commissions at the present time are contemplating apreliminary alarm signal more particularly suited for the actuation ofreceiving selectors. This signal would consist of twelve dashes eachlasting four seconds, and being separated by intervals of one second.Hence, this alarm signal would take one minute. and it should be sentout before the distress signal proper. The second improvement and objectof the present application concerns the addition to the apparatusconstituting the object of the main application of a device adapted toinsure the dispatching of the said alarm signal.

This device comprises (see Figure 2) a distributor DS directly mountedupon a. shalt B revolving at the rate of one rotation per minute, thesaid shaft being driven by a motor (not shown). This distributor DScomprises twelve conducting contact studs separated by insulatingintervals or spacers. This distributor is rotated under a brushor wiperbl. The assembly is disposed in such a way that the time of contact '1between wiper hi and the contact studs will be four seconds separated byintervals of one second. This device is therefore suited to send out thealarm signal.

Upon the shaft B is also mounted a cam CA 1 having a notch whereinengages a lock or pawl VR which stops the movement. The cam CA furtherbears a small contact PC which in the course of rotation of the shaftcomes to make contact with a brush b2. The contact PC has a definiteposition being so chosen that it will strike the brush 112 only at theend of each rotation of CA and US a slight instant before the notch inthe cam comes to be placed before or in front of the lock or latch VR.

The lock VR is kept engaged in the cam by the agency of a spring 1', anddisengagement therewith is accomplishable by an electromagnet DV whenthe latter is energized. The said electromagnet DV when actuated opensthe circuit of the winding 1 of the blocking or holding relay GA at C3.A stopping relay ART is engaged by closing of the contact PC, and thebrush b2 so as to interrupt the circuit of DV and thereby liberate orrelease the lock VR.

The operation of the assembly is as follows:

' The connections are established as shown in Figure 2. It is noted; thewire PM to A in Figure l is omitted. In giving the operation it will beassumed that the arm BA has been moved during previous operation to reston contact L11 and the motor M is at rest. When the apparatus is in thestop or inoperative position, that is to say, when BA is positioned uponthe contact stud L17, terminal FN is associated with the negative polethrough circuit FN, L11. M1, C3, and, with the contact of ART being atrest, DV is likewise connected with the negative pole through circuitDV, FN, L11, M1, C2. When the reversing switch I is closed upon therunning position MA, terminal R is united with the positive pole and theelectromagnet DV is rendered operative through circuit DV, FN, L11, M1,source C1, MA, G2 and DV; the latter thus pulls up the pawl or look VR,and the cam CA and the distributor thus released are caused to rotate.The result is that the keying electromagnet MN is energized by way orstuds DS, the shaft B, and brush bl. Hence, this electromagnet causesthe sending out of the alarm signal.

At the end of rotation of DS and of cam CA, the contact stud PC passeson the brush b2, the electromagnet ART is energized by circuit PC, 112,ART, R1, G2, MA and C1, and it interrupts the circuit of DV whereby thelock VB. is released, so that the latter comes to engage in the notch ofthe cam CA and stops the transmission of the alarm signal. At the sameinstant the contact PC passes beyond the brush b2. However, the relayART remains still energized by way of its working contact wk, which hasmoved to the left so that ART receives negative current by way ofterminal FN, L17, BA, M1, C2 and the negative terminal of the source.

During the sending of this signal by the distributor DS and associatedcircuits the motor M has remained at rest because winding 1 of GA hasremained unenergized since the contact Ca has been held open by theenergized winding DV. Since winding 1 is unenergized contacts 3 and 4are open and the motor circuit is not complete nor is the holdingcircuit for winding 1.

After ART has operated and after the circuit of DV has been broken, thecontact 03 has been closed, the electromagnet GA is excited by itswinding 1, GA operates, closes holding circuit contact armature -3 andmotor circuit contact 4, and the motor is revolved; the brush BA thenpasses from contact stud L17 to stud L1, and ART comes to rest becausethe circuit R, MA, C1, the positive terminal of the energizing source,M1, BA, etc., back to ART, is broken at L11. The motor turns and thedistress signal is sent out in a way as described hereinbefore and inthe patent.

At the end of the distress signal the brush BA comes to be positionedagain upon the stud L17. The electromagnet ART is then at rest, therelay DV is energized, and this causes the breaking at contact 03 of thecircuit of GA and results in the stopping of the motor M. At the sametime the cam CA is unlocked so that DS and CA can rotate and the alarmsignal is sent out again, and the same cycle is repeated over and overagain; indeed, as long as the reversing or throw-over switch I is in theoperating position MA, the alarm signal and the distress signalwill besent out successively and alternately.

Sometimes it is desired to interrupt the signalling operation, that is,to stop signalling after the alarm signal has been sent out and thedistress signal has been sent out. To do so, some time after the arm BAleaves the contact L11, but before it reaches the contact L11, switch Iis shifted to the left hand position contact AR.

When the circuit breaker I is shifted to the position AR the motorcircuit remains complete because the relay GA is held in the contactclosing position by winding 1, which is energized by the circuit: minusterminal of the source, closed contact 3 of GA, terminal C1, and thepositive terminal of the source. The motor circuit at this time is fromC1, through the closed contact 4.- of GA. the motor winding, and back toC2.

If thecircuit through the winding 1 is open actuated.

the contacts 3 and 4 of GA will be open and the motor circuit will bebroken.

The contact C3 is open when DV is energized. DV is energized when BAreaches L17 because the following circuit through DV is completed:positive terminal of the source, C1, holding contact 3 of GA, R, thewinding of DV, the contact of ART, which is closed, terminal FN, contactLn, arm BA, terminal Ml, terminal C2, and the minus terminal of thesource.

It will thus be seen that this relay, DV, is energized when BA becomespositioned upon contact Ln with the result that the motor M is arrestedwith BA staying in this position. After the opening of C3 the keepers ofGA open the contacts 3 and 4 and DV ceases to be energized since itscircuit is broken at 3. All of the relays become deenergized and theentire apparatus comes to rest. The locking means VR drops into thenotch in the disk CA, preventing rotation of the disk and thedistributor B8.

In this arrangement, therefore, alarm signals followed by distresssignals may be sent out continuously and insequence by merely startingthe i apparatus as described hereinbefore, and leaving the switch I incontact with contact MA, or a single alarm signal followed by a singledistress signal may be sent out by moving the contact I into a positionbearing on contact AR some time after the distributor DS has stoppedrotating and the motor M has started to rotate so that arm BA has leftcontact L17. It follows, of course, that any desired number of thesignalling operations may be completed in sequence before the apparatusis stopped. t

It will be understood that this invention may be used separately or incombination with the device in the above referred to patent.

I claim:

1.111 an automatic electric distress-signal transmitter apparatus, adistributor comprising a plurality of contacts, a rotatable wiperadapted when rotated to make contact with the contacts, means forforming electric circuits each corresponding to a signal, each of saidcircuits passing through a contact of the distributor and the wiper, anelectric motor for driving said wiper and causing said wiper to bear onall of said contacts in cyclic order, a rotary keying device, aplurality of electric circuits corresponding to supplementary signals,said circuits each including a contact adapted to be closed by retationof said keying device,-means for driving the keying device andsimultaneously stopping the motor, and for driving the motor andsimultaneously stopping the keying device, and means for stopping themovement of the assembly of the system when the wiper is in a definiteposition independently of the time when the control means of the saidmeans for stopping have been 2. In an automatic electric distress-signaltransmitter apparatus, a distributor comprising a plurality of contacts,a rotatable wiper adapted to make contact with said contacts, means forforming electric circuits each corresponding to a signaLand each of saidcircuits being closed through a contact of said distributor and thewiper, an electric motor for rotating said wiper and causing said wiperto bear on each of the contacts in cyclic order, an energizing circuitfor said motor, a rotary keying device, an electrical circuitperiodically broken to form supplementary signals, said circuitincluding a contact adapted to be intermittently opened and closed byrotation of said keying device, a rotational body integral with thekeying device, an electrical line, means on said body for closing andopening the circuit of said electrical line in a definite positionduring rotation, a relay associated with a contact on said distributor,a second relay associated with said line, means for stopp s rotation ofsaid body immediately after the opening of the said line, the secondrelay and stopping means being controlled by said relay associated withsaid distributor, said second relay associated with said electrical linebeing ed to open the circuit of the first relay, 2. third relay-whoseenergizing circuit is 10() controlled by the first relay, said thirdrelay controlling the circuit of the said electric motor, a startingswitch, a potential source, means for connecting one pole of thepotential-source with the 1 first and the third relay at the same timeto energize the same when the switch is positioned upon a certain ordefinite contact, and means for maintaining energization of the thirdrelay between the times when the switch leaves the said contact and theinstant when no and said driving means when said automatic signals havebeen sent including a distributor driven by a motor and arranged tocomplete a circuit when said distributor reaches a predeterminedposition of rotation, as. second relay connected with said circuit andhaving means to deenergize said first 111.; ed relay and deenergize saiddriving meansresponsive to the operation of said second relay, means forsending out an alarm 1 when said driving means is inoperative, andmeans-responsive to the termination of the alarm signal for renderingsaid driving means operative and acting to again energize the firstrelay.

